The chances for Egyptian international Hamza Abdel Karim to permanently join Barcelona's first football team and secure a spot in the Blaugrana lineup are increasing, following Atlético Madrid's insistence on not letting go of their Argentine striker Julián Álvarez.
Atlético Madrid expressed extreme anger toward their player Julián Álvarez and his agent, denying any possibility of selling the Argentine to Barcelona during the ongoing summer transfer window, according to the Spanish newspaper "Marca."
Fewer Options Available for Flick
Hansi Flick, Barcelona's coach, has strenuously sought over recent days to find a suitable striker capable of leading the team's front line, following the departure of the duo Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres.
Hansi Flick initially faced several options, but these diminished over time as the summer transfer window neared its closure, leaving Hamza Abdel Karim as the fixed option for the German coach, who may ultimately find no other solution.
The Álvarez Solution Fails
Barcelona wanted to sign Julián Álvarez from Atlético Madrid, capitalizing on the player's strong desire to strengthen his squad, but the door was slammed shut by Los Rojiblancos through a statement disclosed to the newspaper "Marca."
A responsible source at Atlético Madrid made strong statements regarding the current situation about selling Álvarez to Barcelona, launching fiery remarks as follows:
"The player is being portrayed as a victim, but the only victims in the Julián case are us."
"They have caused us material and social harm, and the main victim of this issue is Atlético Madrid, which remains steadfast in its position."
"There is no chance of selling him to Barcelona; this matter is not about money, but about dignity."
"A campaign full of lies and half-truths has been launched, and Atlético Madrid is the only one paying the price for it."
Consequently, Barcelona's chances of signing Álvarez diminished, a fact that Hansi Flick似乎 seemed to sense through his statements during the press conference held today, Wednesday.
Regarding Álvarez, Flick stated: "I do not want to talk about Julián; I want to talk about the club's situation. We have made some very good deals, and the club must think about the future."
He added: "As a coach, I demand the best and more, but things may or may not work out. I have confidence in the team, and we will have to manage matters and find solutions for some matches, but our quality is immense. The club and Deco are making great efforts for the next three or four years."
An Undetermined Alternative Striker
The second option involved signing an alternative striker capable of leading Barcelona's front line until the earliest available opportunity arises to reinforce the required position with the most suitable player for both the club and the technical staff.
Barcelona's alternative list included several names, most notably Lautaro Martínez, Oyarzabal, Luis Suárez, in addition to Viktor Gyökeres, but Barcelona has not yet taken action.
Hamza Abdel Karim Shines Strongly
Despite Hamza Abdel Karim's absence from participating with Barcelona in the Catalan team's first La Liga match against Elche, which ended in a clean 5-0 victory for the Blaugrana, the Egyptian international's prospects remain alive.
Hamza Abdel Karim captured attention ever since he declined the rest period granted to him after concluding his participation with the Egyptian national team in the World Cup, immediately heading to Barcelona to join the Blaugrana's training sessions.
Abdel Karim participated in Barcelona's friendly trials and successfully left his scoring mark, which was evident against Al-Ahly in the Joan Gamper Trophy friendly match.
Abdel Karim is considered the most suitable and only available option at Barcelona should Hansi Flick decide to rely on a player occupying the pure striker position, given the capabilities of the international forward who has never fallen short during the preparation period.
Hamza Abdel Karim remained present with Barcelona's first team, participating in training sessions held at the Tito Vilanova stadium in the Joan Gamper Sports City today, Wednesday, in preparation for the upcoming match against Athletic Bilbao alongside four other young players.
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